The Pittsburgh Pirates today recalled infielder Hoy Park and outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba (pronounced: CAY-nin N-JIG-buh) from Triple-A Indianapolis. To make room for Park and Smith-Njigba on the 26-man roster, outfielder Travis Swaggerty and left-handed pitcher Aaron Fletcher were optioned to Triple-A following yesterday’s game. Additionally, the Pirates will recall right-handed pitcher Bryse Wilson as their 27th player for tomorrow’s double-header and will start the second game of the split bill against the Cardinals.
Park, 26, will be making his third stint with the Pirates this season after being a member of the Opening Day roster, where he started at second base. In six games for Pittsburgh this season, he has made defensive appearances at second base (2), shortstop (2) and right field (2). In 35 games with Indianapolis, Park has hit .250 (28-for-112)/.400 OBP/.339 SLG with 4 doubles, 2 home runs and 13 RBI, including hitting .310 (9-for-29) with two doubles, a home run and six RBI in nine games during the month of June, as well as six hits over his last two games.
Smith-Njigba, 23, will be making his Major League debut and will wear uniform No. 28. The six-foot, 240-pound left-handed hitter batted .277 (51-for-184)/.387 OBP/.408 SLG with 15 doubles, three triples, one home run and 19 RBI in 52 games for the Indians in 2022, including reaching base safely in 40 of his last 41 games dating back to April 22. Defensively, he’s made appearances at each of the three outfield positions, playing 27 games in left field, 13 in right and seven in center.
Smith-Njigba was a fourth-round selection in the 2017 First Year Player Draft by the New York Yankees out of Rockwall-Heath High School in Heath, Texas. He was acquired by the Pirates, along with pitchers Roansy Contreras and Miguel Yajure and infielder Maikol Escotto, from the Yankees in exchange for pitcher Jameson Taillon on January 24, 2021. He has combined to hit .276 (334-for-1,212)/.387 OBP/.414 SLG with 76 doubles, seven triples, 26 home runs and 179 RBI in 351 career Minor League games.
Wilson, 24, will make his second stint with the Pirates this season, having made 8 appearances (5 starts) with the club in 2022. Since being optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on May 23, Wilson has gone 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA (7 ER in 19.0 IP) and 16 strikeouts against 3 walks in three starts.
